Gobble de Art Blog

Have you ever wondered about the faces behind some of your favorite Blacksburg accounts? This group of interns have been tirelessly working at the Blacksburg Partnership all year on Brew Do, Fork and Cork, Restaurant Week, Gobble de Art, and everything else Blacksburg related! They are getting ready to graduate in just a few days and although we will miss them, we are so excited to see what gobble-tastic things they will accomplish! Here’s a couple of our senior spotlights:

Senior Spotlight: Jamie Bell

Major: Business Information Technology

Q:What are your post-graduation plans?

A:I’m coming back to Virginia Tech for grad school because I love Tech too much to leave!

Q:What is your favorite bird?

A:The "Traveling Hokie Bird," because I love to travel and I hope to after graduation.

Q:What will you miss most about Virginia Tech?

A:Just the entire experience of being here in Blacksburg, but mostly the relationships I’ve created and the Hokie experiences we’ve had together.

Q:What has been your favorite part about interning at the Blacksburg Partnership?

A:Being involved in the community that has welcomed me in as a student for the past few years and being able to help make this place better.

Hi there, Hokies! Can you believe how close graduation is? That’s unbelievable to me; my year has flown by. With graduation upon us, most families and friends will be searching for the perfect gift to purchase for their Hokie. Luckily, Dottie’s here to save you – I have the perfect graduation gifts for your Hokie.

Is your Hokie a reader? Does your Hokie adore the town of Blacksburg? The A-Z book is a perfect way to keep Blacksburg and Virginia Tech in memory. On each page is a colorful rendition of popular Blacksburg locations, events, and people. From The Lyric Theatre, to Frank Beamer, to the Duck Pond, this adorable book contains everything to remember about Blacksburg. You can fill each page with memories at each location, write notes in the front and back cover, and even place smaller gifts (such as gift cards or stickers) between the pages of this book. Trust me, it’s a worthy purchase and the illustrations are precious!

Luckily, I have crafted the perfect graduation sale for you if you’re interested in purchasing a member from my flock. If you’d like to purchase me, Uncle Stoney, X, GG, or Cade, you can get $50 off on your purchase at checkout with the promo code “GRAD50” If you’re interested in having your Hokie match your personality, you can take the “Which Hokie Bird Are You?” quiz to see which member of my flock will fit you or your Hokie the best. Here’s the link if you need quick access: https://www.tryinteract.com/share/quiz/5a70be4f7c5be00014965d99

If you read the spotlights, you know all the members of the flock are lovely birds. Your Hokie certainly wouldn’t be disappointed taking one of us home. Trust me, we’re pretty entertaining!

3.) A Hokie Grad Basket

If you like to be creative and make your gifts super cute, I have the perfect idea for a Hokie graduation basket. You’ll need a VT bin of some sort: it can be maroon, orange, a VT bucket, anything Virginia Tech related. In this bucket, you can put loads of Hokie merchandise! Here’s a few ideas:

A Postcard Booklet – We have postcard booklets on our website for $7.00. They’re filled with lots of big members of my flock! The booklet is perfect for a Hokie enthusiast who loves to travel!

A Hokie Poster – We have a Hokie Poster for $4.00 on our website. Your Hokie graduate can hang it on his or her wall in a frame. Their friends can sign all over it and it will make a perfect memorable gift!

These are just a few options! Get creative with it. You can make the coolest Hokie gift ever! Fill it with cute Hokie memorabilia and little notes about how proud you are of your Hokie. They’ll never forget such a thoughtful gift!

Today is the day you’ve been waiting for. Whether it’s been four years, two years or a lifetime, you’ve worked very hard to get here. Today is the day that you finally get that piece of paper that commemorates the hard work you’ve put in all of these years. Today means much more than a simple piece of paper though. Today is a day to celebrate the late nights spent studying, balancing work and school, learning things about yourself and about the world. There was a lot on the line, but you made it. It’s like the old doctor Seuss Book, “Oh the Places You’ll Go.” Well look where you are now.

However, the journey isn’t over. You are still going places. Now you are about to embark on yet another chapter of your life, a new challenge and experience. You may consider graduate school, work or travel. What lies in your future? The idea of the unknown may seem scary at first, but with your degree in one hand and your mind on straight you will find your path. No one can take your education away from you and that is the beauty of the matter.

If you take a path you don’t like, you can always turn around and try again. Try new things, new jobs and new experiences. Take risks. This is only the beginning of your life. As you embark on your new journey, be open to experiencing the world and remember; if you can take on a 20 page research paper or a 5 day long math problem, you can take on anything. Trust yourself, keep your family and friends close, and trust your roots. You will find your path, even if it isn’t linear. Life is a beautiful mess, go live it.

Now is the time to begin the rest of your life. Move your tassels to the left Virginia Tech Class of 2019. Congratulations, you did it!